Wednesday-Thursday

This week’s CrossFit Games Open workout involves 90 lb. overhead squats (no rack allowed), which are right on the edge of my ability. I want to do the workout on Sunday, so yesterday and today I practiced getting 90 lbs from the floor to the OHS position without the rack (can’t snatch it), and overhead squatting it. I can do two sets of five reps and then on the third set I fail on rep 5, can’t come up out of the bottom. That was true both yesterday and today. Tomorrow I’ll just get it up there and do a max set, see how many I can do all at once. On Sunday, though, I will be doing it after 60 burpees. This is going to be sketchy. My motto for the week is “I am not a wimp.” If I were a wimp I wouldn’t be practicing 90-lb overhead squats from the floor, by myself, starting with little idea whether or not I could even do them at all…

I’ve also worked yesterday and today on muscle-up drills (can’t do muscle-ups) and on low-dip-position strength building. I take the low position with my shoulders very near my hands, pull my elbows in close, push hard, and lift my feet. I hold for a second or two and then push up to straight arms. I think this “deadlift” dip has got to help my dips! Will keep working the muscle-up transition and practicing the false grip pull to sternum and see if I can make progress there.

I really like this hard work despite the crushing overhead squats. The fact that I can do a couple of sets means I can use them to get stronger. The taking it off the floor makes it more functionally demanding, and I like that, even though it bruises the top of my back. I feel tired, but strong.